What does Exodus 36:10 mean?
ESV: He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.
NIV: They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five.
NASB: He joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he joined to one another.
CSB: He joined five of the curtains to each other, and the other five curtains he joined to each other.
NLT: Five of these curtains were joined together to make one long curtain, and the other five were joined to make a second long curtain.
KJV: And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.
NKJV: And he coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.
Verse Commentary:
Please see our chapter commentary on Exodus 36; verse-level content coming soon!
Verse Context:
Exodus 36:8–38 indicates that the Israelites follow God's instructions precisely. They are constructing a tabernacle for the Lord (Exodus 25:8–9) under the direction of two assigned supervisors (Exodus 35:30—36:1). The actions of this passage are a point-by-point response to the designs recorded in Exodus 26.
Chapter Summary:
Israel responds to the call for donations with enthusiasm. The people are so eager to donate that Moses must command the people to stop giving. Working under Bezalel, skilled workers begin following God's instructions for crafting the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31). Most of these descriptions repeat the exact wording from God's command, rephrased as what Israel actually did.
Chapter Context:
After renewing the covenant (Exodus 34), Moses is passing along the Lord's commands regarding the tabernacle (Exodus 25:8–9). This began with a call for materials and recently included the appointment of Bezalel and Oholiab to supervise the project (Exodus 35). This and following chapters (Exodus 37—39) record Israel following those original instructions very closely. The text is virtually identical to the written designs recorded earlier (Exodus 25—31).
Book Summary:
The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.
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